Betrothed #1 Review

Roll me over Romeo

Written by: Sean Lewis

Art by: Steve Uy

Publisher: AfterShock Comics

Review by: Andrew McAvoy

It's like this. AfterShock Comics always seem to offer something new and different. Their concepts seem to be pretty original, and the art is always something different to look at. I like their strange world. So I was looking forward to Bethrothed. Let's see if it lived up to early expectations...

The plot rotates around Kieron and Tamara, who are seemingly just your average seniors at high school, albeit that when we first meet them Tamara is kicking the living crap out of Kieron. On the eve of their eighteenth birthdays, they seem to be drawn to one another and its a love-hate deal with these two. Then the see a light in the sky and follow it...

In doing so the pair discovers a lifelong secret: in a dimension far away, they are each the leader of an army that is at war with one another...and what’s more, when they turn eighteen they are to be paired up together as a cosmic Romeo and Juliet. Each represents a tribe. 

The inhabitants of Priam who are represented by Romeo, who place their faith in magic and swords. The inhabitants of Nuam are Juliet's sponsors who in turn place their faith in guns and science. Nuam has invaded Priam, and Earth acts as a bridge planet between the two. It's a pretty amazing setup and what's good about it is that it takes the Romeo and Juliet story and puts a great twist on it. 

Bits and pieces

This issue leaves us seeing whether Kieron and Tamara's newfound attraction will conquer the desire of the Nuam for a fight to the death. The storyline, while not exactly original gives us two star-crossed lovers in a space opera teen drama so count me in. The art meanwhile continues the Manga-styled leanings we have seen elsewhere in AfterShock in their Backways title, and I loved it. A thoroughly satisfying book. 

7.5/10